The NHS has issued a plea urging people to keep ‘coming forward for care’ if they need it for the next week.
In case you hadn’t heard, earlier this month, the British Medical Association (BMA) confirmed that doctors had ‘spoken clearly’ after the results of a ballot – which ran from 27 May until 7 July – revealed that 90% of resident doctors voted in favour of a return to industrial action.
The ballot saw a turnout of 55% members, with almost 30,000 (29,741) votes cast, and 26,766 of those votes endorsing the use of strike action as part of efforts to restore pay.
The result meant that resident doctors secured a fresh mandate to stage industrial action when they choose up until January 2026.
Resident doctors will be staging strike action for the next five days / Credit: BMA
As the results of the ballot proved that the vast majority of resident doctors – formerly known as junior doctors – were in favour of taking industrial action, it was then subsequently confirmed they will stage a full walk out from 7am tomorrow (Friday 25 July) up until 7am on Wednesday 30 July.
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Ahead of the strikes beginning tomorrow morning, the NHS has now appealed directly to the public urging them to not be deterred from seeking treatment if they need it during this time frame.
According to the NHS, hospitals and local teams across the UK have all been preparing ‘as usual’ ahead of this latest round of strikes, and plans have been put in place to minimise disruption to patient experiences and ensure life-saving care continues.
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The NHS is urging patients to still keep coming forward for care if they need it / Credit: Stephen Andrews (via Unsplash)
Hospital chief executives have been asked to keep routine operations going ‘to the fullest extent possible’ during this round of strikes, and to only reschedule appointments and other activity in ‘exceptional circumstances’.
This is why the NHS is therefore advising the public to continue to attend any planned appointments that they have scheduled over the strike period unless they have been contacted to reschedule.
Primary and urgent and emergency care services will continue to be available for those who need them.
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From tomorrow, some NHS services will be affected due to strike action.
While some appointments won’t go ahead as planned, NHS staff are doing all they can to limit disruption – and patients should continue to use services in the usual way.
The public should use 111 online as the ‘first port of call’ for issues that are considered urgent but not life-threatening during industrial action, so that they can be directed to the best place for their needs, while calling 999 or heading to A&E as normal should happen in the event of an emergency.
“There is no doubt this industrial action will take a toll on patients and NHS staff, and it is disappointing it is going ahead,” commented Professor Meghana Pandit, who is NHS England’s National Medical Director, ahead of the strikes.
“While it will mean some appointments won’t be able to go ahead as planned, we are doing all we can to limit this, and patients should continue to use NHS services in the usual way.”
Featured Image – Pxhere
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Salford RLFC issue statement as head coach Mike Grady departs after less than three months
Danny Jones
Salford Rugby League Football Club have issued an official statement following the departure of head coach Mike Grady, who has left the role after less than three months in the job.
It has been insisted that this is not a sacking, but rather a joint decision to terminate his contract.
Grady, who took up the mantle at the start of this project following the end of the Salford Red Devils era, was only appointed on 5 January.
He had previously been in charge of the Red Devils’ women’s side over the past couple of years, but moved over to hopefully lead this new era forward.
As you can see, the club confirmed in a statement that they and Grady have “mutually agreed to part ways due to changes in his personal circumstances.”
They go on to write: “We are forever indebted to Mike for his unwavering commitment to the club. We want to thank him for all his hard work since taking on the role as Head Coach in very challenging circumstances in December.”
Also sharing a comment from former player turned CEO, Ryan Brierley, he said: “Mike came in as Coach at a time when the club had just come through one of its toughest times with the double impact of relegation and liquidation.
“He was willing to roll up his sleeves and bring stability to the club on the pitch. The fact we were able to field a team against Oldham in January, after only three weeks, speaks volumes about his commitment and determination. To beat Hunslet at home only four weeks later was a fantastic achievement.
“Mike will always be remembered as the person [who] strived and achieved the objective of sending out the first Salford team of this new era. A team running onto the pitch, after so much hard work, gave us all something to cheer about. We also remember how well he successfully guided our women’s team to third and fourth place finishes in the Championship.”
Sharing his own farewell message, he went on to add: “I want to thank Ryan for the opportunity to represent this great club and fan base. What we created at the start of the year was pretty special, and I’m proud to have built that.
“I’m happy to leave the club in a better place than I found it and wish the club all the best for the future.” Salford RLFC have already assured that they are now recruiting for his replacement.
Price caps and standardisations to be introduced for vet care in UK following major investigation
Emily Sergeant
Reforms to the veterinary industry to help pet owners better navigate the vet services market are set to be introduced this year.
After an independent inquiry group recently found that the current system is leaving pet owners ‘in the dark’, with a lack of information to help make informed decisions leading to weak competition and high prices, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has this week concluded its investigation into veterinary services for household pets in the UK.
The final report green-lights a package of measures to make the market more competitive, easier to navigate, and more responsive to pet owners’ needs.
It outlines the final remedies and recommendations, which together, will transform the market.
Remedies and recommendations in the report range from price caps and standardisations, through to upfront cost transparency.
We’ve set out major reforms to the UK’s veterinary sector now our market investigation is complete.
Our reforms will help pet owners better navigate the vet services market and will start coming into force later this year.
— Competition & Markets Authority (@CMAgovUK) March 24, 2026
Practices will soon be required to publish a comprehensive price list for standard services – including consultations, common procedures, diagnostics, written prescriptions and cremation options – so pet owners know up-front how much certain services are expected to cost.
They’ll also have to make it clear whether they are part of a group or an independent business, and provide a written estimate in advance for any treatment expected to cost £500 or more (including aftercare costs), plus an itemised bill.
Written prescription fees are set to be capped at £21 for the first medicine, and then £12.50 for any additional medicines.
Price caps and standardisations are set to be introduced for vet care in UK / Credit: Pxhere
There’s also set to be changes to the complaints process, as practices will now be required to follow a transparent, accessible, in-house complaints process, and engage in mediation where disputes cannot be resolved.
The CMA says an ‘unprecedented’ response from both the public and the sector has helped to shape the final report.
The next step is for the Government to respond to the report formally – with Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Emma Reynolds, commenting: “We are grateful for all the work of the Competition and Markets Authority, and we will respond to the report and set out next steps for our proposed reforms in due course.
“This Government is focused on helping families save money on vet services by improving transparency and choice around pricing, so the public can make informed decisions about their pets’ care.”
Emily Sergeant -
24th July 2025 
